Fodder-cutting machine.



Patented Oct. I7, |899.

(Application led Oct. 26, 1898.)

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IINTTED STATES l ROBERT M. DYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PATENT @EETCED TIIE AERMOTOR FODDER-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,939, dated October17, 1899. Application filed October 26, 1898.A Serial No. 694,572. (Nomodel..l

[o @ZZ whom it 'nt/.Ly concern:

Beit known that LROBERT M. DYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fodder-CuttingMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.'

My invention relates to a fodder-cutting machine, my object being toprovide an improved construction whereby the upper feeding rollers maybe more conveniently made than heretofore and whereby the casing of themachine may be readily removable to gain access tothe cutting-knife;furthermore, to provide a convenient means for changing the rate offeeding of the machine, and, further, to provide a `construction whichwill permit the grinding-roller to be readily thrown into or out ofservice at will.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a view in elevation of the machine embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detailed View of the mounting of the rotatablecasing. Fig. 5 is a partial sectional View on line 5 5, Fig. l. Fig. 6is a view illustrating the manner in which the teeth upon thegrinding-roller coact with a stationary set of teeth.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The driving-pulley a is mounted upon a shaft b, upon which is mountedthe rotary knife or cutter c. In front of the cutter c a pair offeed-rollers ci c3 is provided, between which the fodder is adapted topass and by which it is fed to the cutter c, the speed with which therolls rotate determining the rate at which the fodder is conveyed to thecutter, and consequently the length of the pieces into which the rotaryknife cuts the same. The roll c2 is mounted upon a shaft c4,mounted inbearings provided upon the frame d of the machine, while the roll c3 ismounted upon a shaft c5, mounted in bearings carried upon the casing e.The casing e incloses the roll c3 and the cutter c and is provided withbearings journaled upon the inner ends of the bearing-sleeves e2 c2,Figs. 2 and 4, by means of brackets e, secured to the under edge ofcasinge, whereby the casing e may be rocked upon the shaft b into thevertical position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. W'hen in thisposition the cutter c is exposed and access may be gained for thepurpose of adjustment or manipulation. Likewise when the casing is inthe vertical position the rolls c3 and c2 are accessible.

Upon the shaft Z) is loosely mounted a hub f, carrying a gear-wheel j"and a sprocket wheel or pinion f2. Upon the counter-shaft b', held atone end in the frame of the machine, is journaled a hub g, carryinggearwheels g gzand a sprocket-wheel g3, the wheel g' meshing withwheelf. The sprocket-wheel f2 is geared by means of a chain f3 with asprocket-wheel f1, mounted on the shaft 0"", carrying the upper feedroll c3, and the sprocket-wheel gE is by means of a chain g4 geared witha sprocket-wheel g5, carried on the shaft c4, upon which is mounted thefeedroll c2. l Upon the shaft b is loosely mounted a pinion 7i, havingupon its face projections 7L 7L', adapted to interlock with projectionsh2, carried on hubf, a pin hsbeing passed through holes in the hub ofpinion 7L to lock the same to shaft Z1. Then in this position, the rotation of the shaft b causes pinion 72, and hubf to rotate therewith, thusthrough the agency of sprocketwheelsf2 and]04 rotating the feedroll c3,and due to the meshing of gear-wheels f' and g the hub g is rotated todrive the feedroll c2 through the agency of sprocket-Wheels g3 and g5.Then it is desired to alter the gear so as to reduce the speed at whichthe feed-rolls are driven, and thereby reduce the lengths of the piecescut by the cutter c, the pin h3 may be removed and the pinion 7L movedlongitudinally upon the shaft Z) until the teeth thereof mesh with thegear-wheel g2, the pin h3 being passed through the hole h to key thegear-wheel`to the shaft b. When in this position, the rotation of shaftb rotates pinion 7L and gear-wheel g2, and the hub f, which is loose onthe shaft h, is rotated through the meshing of gear -wheels g and f. Thesprocket-wheels g3 and f2 are thus driven at a lower speed. In thedrawings gear-Wheels IOD g2 and pinion h bear the ratio of six to one,so that in the first position of the pinion h the feed-rolls are drivenat six times the speed at which they are driven when the pinion is inthe second of the two positions above described.

Beneath the above-described mechanism is mounted a grinding-roller 7a,the roller being mounted upon a shaft lo', journaled in the Walls of thecasing 7a2, which is pivoted at the lower end by means of a pivot k3 tothe uprights or posts d of the table or support upon which the machineis mounted. The other end of the casing 7a2 carries a flange 7a4 at eachend, through which bolts 7s are adapted to,

pass to secure the casing to the under face of the stringers CZ of thetable which supports the machine. The casing 7c2supports a plate las,having teeth upon the face thereof adapted to coact with the teeth uponthe roller 7c to form a grinding-surface,which serves to grind thepieces of fodder severed by the cutter c. As the fodder is cut intoshort lengths by the cutter c it falls downward between the coactingsets of teeth and then passes from the machine.

It is frequently desirable to operate the machine for cutting the fodderinto short lengths without grinding the same, in which case it isdesirable to remove the grindingroller from its operative position. Instructures of the prior artit has been necessary to disassemble thisportion of the machine for this purpose; but by the employment of thestructure above described when it is desired to throw thegrinding-roller out of operation the bolts 765, securing the upper endof the casing to the stringers d, may be removed, and the casing may berotated into the position shown in Fig. 3 to carry the roller 71",downward out of the way. Instead of attaching the upper end of thecasing 7o2 to the stringers d by means of bolts, as illustrated, anyother form of attachment may be employed. At the juncture of thestringers d and posts d a plate Z is provided upon each side of themachine, thel plate carrying upon its inner face ridges Z Z,which leavebetween the same a channel extending obliquely upward. A board 2 may beinserted into this channel to form a floor and guide to receive the outfodder as it passes from the knife and direct it downward into anyreceptacle which may be provided for its reception.

VHaving described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a cutting-machine, the combination with a shaft carrying a rotarycutter, of a casing or frame journaled to rotate about the axis of saidcutter, feed-rollers situated in advance of the cutter, the upper rollerbeing journaled upon said casing or frame and driving-gearing betweenthe Lipper feed-roller and the shaft carrying the cutter arranged topermit the rocking of the casing Without disengaging the gearing,substantially as described.

2. In a cutting-machine, the combination with the driving-shaft and thecutter driven thereby, of the grinding-roller placed beneath the cutter,a frame or casing upon which the grinding-roller is journaled pivoted atone end to permit the frame and the roller to be swung out of theoperative position, and separable driving-gearing between thedrivingshaft and the grinding-roller arranged to be separated when thegrinding-roller is moved out of the operative position and tooperatively engage when the grinding-roller is moved into the operativeposition, substantially as described.

3. In a cutting-machine, the combination with the driving-shaft and thecutter driven thereby, of the gri nding-roller placed beneath thecutter, a frame or casing upon which the grinding-roller is journaledpivoted at one end to permit the frame and the roller to be.

swung out of the operative position, separable driving-gearing betweenthe drivingshaft and the grinding-roller arranged to be separated whenthe grinding-roller is moved out of the operative position and tooperatively engage when the grinding-roller is moved into the operativeposition, a guide- Way or oor, and supports for the same to hold saidguideway in position beneath the cutter when the grinding-roller ismoved out of the operative position, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

ROBERT M. DYER.

Witnesses:

G. A. SELLAR, W. CLYDE JoNEs.

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